Ekphrastic Prompt 4: Sanctuary Knocker, Durham Cathedral

Sanctuary Knocker, Durham Cathedral 

This massive bronze knocker on the North door of Durham Cathedral was intended to enable people who had 'committed a great offence' to ask for sanctuary within the Cathedral. There were originally two small chambers above the doorway where monks would keep watch, ready to let a sanctuary seeker in at any time of day or night. The sanctuary seeker would have to change into black robes with the yellow cross of St Cuthbert printed on the shoulder, and was kept in an enclosure separate from the rest of the church. He (or she - I assume women were allowed to seek sanctuary as well, but I may be wrong) had to confess his crime, and was then fed and sheltered, but after the thirty seven days were over was escorted to a port because he was required to leave the country.

The knocker in the picture is a replica of the C12th original, which is now kept inside the Cathedral, but even this one, which is now about thirty five years old, has been subject to an attempted burglary.

I think this knocker and the possible stories behind it, the concepts of sanctuary and exile, would be a great subject for a poem, either explicitly or tangentially. There is more information at the Durham World Heritage site, and at England's North East; and also an interesting piece about whether the knocker might be a Chinese dragon.

And as another bit of inspiration, here's the brilliant Cathedral of Salt by Nick Flynn, in Poetry Magazine. Presumably nothing to do with Durham, but a cathedral nonetheless.

Happy writing.



Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dkohara/2735149358 http://www.durhamcityphotos.co.uk/